In a recent incident at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) in Chennai, a 34-year-old patient assaulted a house surgeon. The attack prompted a protest by a group of doctors, demanding increased protection for medical professionals.
The Incident
The patient, identified as J Balaji from Thirunindravur in Tiruvallur district, was admitted to the hospital due to liver problems. On Tuesday, Balaji reportedly became agitated and demanded the removal of the intravenous (IV) line from his hand. When house surgeon Surya approached him during his rounds, Balaji started shouting and verbally abusing other patients. He even threatened to harm people with a pole.
Surya attempted to pacify Balaji, but the situation escalated when Balaji took out a forceps and assaulted Surya on his neck. Thankfully, the doctor managed to escape with a major injury but was cut near the collarbone.
Actions Taken
After the incident, Surya filed a complaint with the police. Based on the complaint, the police arrested Balaji and booked a case against him under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Tamil Nadu Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2008.
In response to the incident and the demand for increased protection, trainee doctors and postgraduate medicos organized a protest. They sought better security measures for doctors to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
Assurances and Measures
Dean Therani Rajan addressed the concerns of the protesting doctors and assured them that efforts would be made to enhance the safety of house surgeons. He promised to address the doctors’ demands promptly, including the deployment of additional personnel to support medical professionals. The dean also sent a letter to the health secretary regarding this matter.
In light of the incident, Chennai Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal deployed ten armed police personnel near the surgery ward of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital to enhance security measures.
The protest by doctors follows the tragic death of Dr. Vandana Das, who was attacked by an individual brought to the hospital by the police from Kerala. This incident led to the passing of the Hospital Protection Act in Kerala, which was later cleared by the cabinet as an ordinance.
The assault on a house surgeon by a patient at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital has sparked a protest by doctors, highlighting the need for increased protection for medical professionals. This incident underscores the importance of ensuring a safe working environment for doctors and the urgency to address violence against healthcare providers.
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